by J. Naomi Ay
"I found the pod! Sara, Barlan, come quick!" Jullee shouted.
"Come on, Barlan." Sara reached for Senya's hand. "You're probably here to save me, but I'm going to save you instead."
“I suspect you are already too late.”
Nevertheless, Senya let Sara lead him down the aisle. Just as the pair climbed into the pod, another missile impacted the ship. The cockpit windows were shattered. The cabin instantly depressurized, followed by a massive explosion as the ship disintegrated.
The pod drifted off into space, the three occupants rolling head over heels in the current created by the plane's debris. By the time the pod had settled, Sara and Jullee had both passed out, leaving Senya some quiet time to think without interruption.
Here they were spinning through space on a craft with limited control, and he hadn't a clue where the nearest inhabitable planet might be. The pod was stocked with limited provisions, and the space was rather cramped. It was also rather cold. Both girls were shivering, clouds of steam erupting from their mouths.
Senya removed his heavy clock, and draped it over the two of them. The frigid air wouldn't bother him, and it was more important they didn't get sick. He didn't save them from the Robolo virus only so that they might succumb to a deadly flu, or be plagued by a common cold for the next few weeks.
"I delivered your message, Mika." Uri announced, sitting on the dashboard in front of Senya's face. "Your friend, Taner is sure an obstinate and ornery creature. I find him quite unpleasant to be around. I don’t know how you could stand him all these years."
"There are plenty worse than he," Senya said. "What was his response?"
"He thought himself quite brilliant, actually," the cherub replied. "He assumed he devised the cure all on his own. You see, I gave him the message in a dream. Then, I shook his shoulder until he awoke. After which, he immediately met with the doctors as you asked. They are working on it now. It shan't be long, I expect. I'll keep tabs on them for you, to make certain they stay upon the right track."
"Well done. You have proven yourself invaluable once again."
The cherub smiled, and blushed in a pretty, pink, cherubic way.
"I'm still keeping a tally, Mika. You're going to owe me big time when you're back in charge."
"I know," Senya nodded. "Now, I need another favor."
"Another? What do I look like, your personal servant? A doormat for you to wipe your feet upon, or rug for you to lay down?"
"Just do it, and I shall forever be in your debt."
"What is it now?" The cherub sighed dramatically, while impatiently tapping his little heels against the console. “Let me tell you, the wife you’re going to give to me had better be a looker.”
"First, fetch me a new pack of cigarettes. I’ve finished all that were in my cloak pocket. After which, please check in on our brothers and my wife…”
"How about this?" the cherub interrupted. "Why don't I just tell you where you misplaced your stupid storage closet?"
Sara awoke beneath a warm, heavy blanket. It was lined with the softest fur, and was comforting to snuggle under, despite the fact that she was sitting in cramped seat, in an even tighter pod, spiralling aimlessly through outer space. At first, the sensation of warmth and love reminded her of her dad, when he hugged and told her not to worry about anything. Steve always said he had it handled, even when he didn't.
As she grew more wakeful, Sara decided that as she hid here beneath this blanket, it was actually her grandfather whose image came to mind. This blanket was like her grandfather hugging her, something Sara had no memory of ever happening. If it did though, she imagined it would have felt exactly like this, warm, comforting, safe, and smelling faintly of cigarettes.
Sara heard a pounding noise. It was very faint, but resonating from the steering console. She also heard a whispering sound. A deep voice was softly speaking in a language she didn't know.
"Barlan, who are you talking to?" she murmured, forcing her eyes open, despite her desire to sleep. Jullee was still snoring beside her, and from a quick glance around, there appeared to be no one else in the tiny little ship.
Senya stretched back in his seat. His leg was aching, and the seat was much too tight. He leaned back as far as he could, and propped his bad leg up against the console, in the place the cherub had been.
"I was speaking to my brother," Senya said, lighting a cigarette, newly fetched from his formerly lost closet. "His name is Uri'el, and he is the Angel of Wisdom. He's a smart little fellow. I'll grant him that. Quite useful too, especially when one's own brain is refusing to come to its senses."
"Uh huh." Sara watched as Senya removed his dark glasses, and tiredly rubbed his silver eyes. "OMG!" she gasped. "They're...they're so bright! Much more so than before!"
"Indeed? Well, that is good to know. The antidote must be working, and I am being restored to my proper place and position. I suspect in short order, the virus will be purged from the galaxy once again."
"But, why are your eyes like that?" Sara asked, as Senya began to change before her own eyes.
His hair which had been dull and white, suddenly burst with light, as if consumed by silver flames. His face, which had been somewhat slack, tightened and became just as it had always been, devilishly handsome, especially for an angel.
"Ach, 'tis a long story," Senya replied, taking a long drag on his cigarette, his former beauty restored, or at least in Sara’s imagination. "But, I suppose we have a bit of time yet to sit here with nothing better to do. If you should like to hear it, I shall tell you.”
Sara nodded, noting how her grandfather's skin began to glow with an aura of silver light, filling the tiny cabin. Inexplicably, she felt very happy, despite flying uncontrolled through outer space in a tiny capsule with room enough for only three.
"You see, well, I am the eldest. I am the one the Holy One created to be in charge. I am to guide mankind, and to assist him to reach a higher plain. To that end, at times, I must come in a mortal form. You understand what I am saying, yes?"
"I think so," Sara replied.
This all seemed to be a dream, so Sara wasn’t entirely certain that she was awake. In fact, at this point she figured she was probably dead. Surely, her grandfather wasn’t telling her the Big Secret that everyone knew.
"My brother, Luka," he continued. "He and I were great friends, for eons really, long spans of time. He was my right hand, and we worked together in all things, until we had a quarrel, and from that, all manner changed."
"What was the fight about?"
Senya smiled whimsically, and his eyes grew even brighter still.
"A she-angel," he replied. "She had come to join my army. Her name was Cassi'ot and her job was only to listen to those who wished to speak. 'I can do more', she begged of me. 'I wish to fight. I can be a champion of all mankind, or woman-kind at the very least. I may be small, but I am very strong and brave of heart'. She was, little Sara, and she is to this day. And, she stole my heart even though such things were not allowed.”
“Why not?”
“’Tis just not the way of it, so the way had to change. Change is always difficult, even for us. Perhaps, even more so, as we have been set in our paths for millions of years. But, eventually the objections were overcome, and Permission was granted.”
“So, she married you and joined your army?”
"No. My brother, Luka, he saw her, and he desired her, too. He violated The Rules, and stole her away without my knowledge. Luka's spine has always been weak, and temptation guides his hand more so than thought. He is easily led astray, and thus, he was cast out. My love, she was cast down with him, despite her wish to be with me."
"But, you loved her first!"
"That never mattered. More importantly, our brothers helped him to take her away from me."
"Why?"
"They did not want her around me. They feared my love. They were afraid she would make me weak, and she did, but at the same time she made me strong. It is her love w
hich gives me strength, and holds me upright. Without her, I am merely an angel bereft of wings.”
“Oh!” Sara gasped, a lump forming in her throat. “What did you do?”
“I fought my brother to win her back. She loved me, so she fought him, too. Together, we were able to free her, and we went to the Holy One."
"And, then, He let you marry her?"
"Aye, He did, and ever after, we have walked in tandem in the heavens and the earths. When I am here amongst the men, then always so is she. However, the Dispensation that we were granted came with a caveat, for I had broken The Rules. Love was forbidden to us, and thus a penalty had to be paid."
"What was it?"
"My sight. For if I was to be blinded by my love, than I must no longer be granted the sight given by one’s eyes.”
"You gave up your sight for her," Sara sighed, "That's so romantic."
"Sight is overrated anyway. Without eyes I can see deeper into your soul, I can listen more intently to the whispers in your mind, and I can feel your breath, and know the beatings of your heart. With eyes, one sees only what is in front of their face."
"What happened to your brother, the one who stole her away?"
"He is as he always has been, my friend, whilst at the same time, my greatest enemy. He is evil and seductive. He challenges man at every turn. He takes the weakest, and he uses them to do his bidding. You must be careful of him, Sara, for he will speak to you with honeyed words that twist around, and sound not at all like they mean to be."
"Me?"
"You, for with the foresight that requires no mortal eyes, I have chosen you to carry on my work.”
“Me?” Sara gasped again, pinching her leg, for surely this couldn’t be true.
“You are young now, but I can see that you have been bestowed with the best qualities of Cassi’ot and me. Do not fear for you shan’t be taking this path alone. I shall be behind you, as will Cassi'ot, every step of the way. We are in the shadows, and in your dreams, guarding you, and guiding your hand.”
“What about you? What will happen to you?”
“Ach, do not worry for me, for I have come to the realization, once again, that my work is not done, nor ever shall be.”
Sara jumped as Jullee murmured, and moved about beneath the blanket, a tiny drop of drool running down her chin.
“Go back to sleep,” Sara whispered softly, patting Jullee on the arm, before turning back to Senya. “What do you mean your work isn’t done?”
“Like mankind, I am forever evolving.” Senya breathed out a long breath of smoke, now speaking more to himself than to Sara’s ears. “Each step onward is accompanied by another in reverse. The goal, of course, is to take larger steps forward, lest we fall behind, but our paths are neither straight, nor easily tread.
Each time I am set down, I must do more to be worthy of my wings, once again. I must continue to fight Evil, even when I do not prevail. Each battle is enlightening, and provides knowledge for both mankind, and my soul to grow. Failure is only another stone upon which we must step to succeed.
Remember this, Sara, for like all, your life shall be filled with both joys and sorrow. Remember 'tis the Holy One who rules the Universe, not Luka, and not me. Follow His Word and with it, you shall be strong.
With His Blessing, I have sent you a companion to hold your hand and heart, and spawn the children whom you shall bear. When you have reached your majority, you shall become the Empress of Rehnor, and your reign shall be a long and fruitful one. You shall be happy, and your family shall be loving. You will bring honor to the de Kudisha name, as shall your son after you, who you shall name for me."
Then, Sara heard a thump, and the pod rocked and jolted violently.
"What's going on?" Jullee bolted upright, as a voice echoed across the tiny craft.
"Hello? Anybody there? Um...if you're alive, do you want to be rescued?"
"You bet!" Jullee cried. "Hey! Where did Barlan go?"
Chapter 19
Jim Mattson didn't know why he trusted the old Andorian woman to fly his plane, but he did. He also didn't have a choice.
"I could give it a try," Shelly said. "Heaven knows I've flown on enough of them."
"But never in the pilot's seat," Jim remarked. "Come on, Gran. I've sat in the back plenty of times, too."
"I thought all of your planes have intuitive controls and android systems which make pilots redundant," Joanne stated.
"Yes, and no," Jim replied. "A trained pilot still has to be there in case something goes wrong."
"I'm know what I am doing," Pym insisted, with surprising conviction, considering she could count on one hand the number of times she'd actually flown in space.
Never had Pym sat at the controls, but she had played Space Command nearly every night, as she found it relaxing after a stressful day in her shop. The vid game emulated many different sorts of craft, and had flight plans throughout the galaxy. Pym had even achieved the level of Fighter Pilot Extreme, so if they met with dangerous and opposing forces, she would have been perfectly competent to launch a barrage of missiles.
The only problem Pym foresaw, was that the port side engine had an electrical fault, and the replacement power generating system hadn't yet arrived due to the Empire-wide ground stop.
"Do you think you can fly it on one engine?" Jim asked, standing in the docking bay and staring up at his broken plane.
"Yes, sir," Pym replied. "I've done that several times."
She had done it at least twice, for in level twelve of Space Commnad, somehow, the Talasian pirates always managed to take out one of her powerplants.
"Just get us out of the Empire," Jim murmured, waving for Pym to follow him aboard. "Get us into Allied space, and as close to Earth as you can make it."
“Yes, sir,” Pym said again, turning right to head to the bridge.
“It’s on your left,” Jim groaned. “Through the doors marked ‘Cockpit’.
Pym sat down in the pilot’s seat and held her hands over the control panel, just as she had always done when she started a game. The single starboard engine began to hum, and lights flashed as virtual controls swelled over her head: release brakes, trim flaps, rudder, yaw, airlock, bay doors open, all systems ready to go.
A little unsteadily at first, the plane began to rise, taxiing into a launch position. A mechanical voice from spaceport control announced that clearance had been granted.
“Fasten your seatbelts,” Pym called to the passenger cabin. “And, hold on tightly.”
Somehow, and Pym wasn’t entirely certain how, she managed to ferry the plane out of the dock without knocking into anything or anybody. Of course, it helped that the dock was nearly empty, except for what appeared to be an abandoned, derelict vessel at the end. Nevertheless, in a few moment’s time, the plane was safely cruising through interstellar space.
Pym felt enormously proud of herself, and told Senya so when he appeared at her side.
“Well done, Pym,” he agreed. “Now, you must direct your plane toward Earth.”
“Yes, well…”
That navigation bit had always been Pym’s weakest link. It required a fair knowledge of the galaxy, or at least, a general idea of which star systems were located where. Also, mathematical calculations, and vector plotting were often used.
When Pym played her favorite spaceplane simulator games, she often relied on the android systems to chart her course. As good a job as they did, they often flew her straight into asteroid storms, or smashed her into random freighters outside the traffic lanes. Inevitably, this was when Pym lost the game, and usually shut down her system for the night.
“You know I’ve never been able to advance beyond level fifteen,” she told Senya, uncertainty and even fear creeping into her voice. “Travelling outside the Empire is something I am not sure that I can do.”
“Don’t worry, Pym,” he replied. “I shall set your course for you.”
“Thank you, dear.” Pym watched the virtual dials tur
n, and the digitized course track adjust to a different vector. “Did you find the cure which you were seeking? For that virus which is killing everyone around?”
“Indeed, I did, and my company has already started production of the serum.”
“Well done to you, as well, my darling.” Pym smiled lovingly at the man, although his image was faint, even hazy, much more so than before.
In fact, Pym could see right through him, to the console on the other side, its bank of placidly blinking lights shining through his body like a field of multi-colored stars. Her heart gave a sudden and alarming lurch.
“You are not leaving me for good, are you?”
“No, Pym. I am never more than a whispered breath away.”
Tears filled Pym’s eyes, obscuring her vision, before they flooded down her cheeks.
“You are leaving. What will we do? What will become of all of us? What of me?”
“Your destiny lies before you, Pym.” Senya held out his hand and touched her head.
Pym felt a surge of love, of light, and peace fill her soul. The tears, which only moments before swelled with sadness, suddenly turned to joy.
“Senya!” she wept. “I do love you so.”
“Ach, Pym,” he laughed, the sound like a heavenly song. “You must know I am no longer called by that name. When you bethink of me, recall me as I truly am, Mika’el, the One who is Like.”
“Who are you talking to?”
Pym bolted upright to stare at the Talasian boy with a bush of fuzzy green curls covering his head.
“Do you really know how to fly this thing? ‘Cuz if you don’t, I can help. My dad was in the Imperial SpaceNavy, and my uncle, Zem was a really famous pilot.”
"You can fly a spaceplane? How old are you?"
"Thirteen, but everyone says I'm mature for my age. Or, maybe, they say I'm immature. I can't remember. Anyway, I play alot of Space Command, so I'm really good at strikers and fighters. I figure this plane can't be all that different, same buttons, same controls, same astronautics."